Stage 5

We were in St George yesterday for Todd's monthly check ups with his dr's.  The first appointment was this a rehab therapist that taught me how to massage the lymph nodes in Todd to help them release the fluid that his body seems intent on holding ransom!  I'm excited about this because it's one more thing that can help keep his heart healthy and pumping!!  YAY!!!

We then met up with our two girls and had lunch with them before our next appointment.  We both love that these two will come meet us whenever we are in St George.  In fact we tend to get in some serious trouble if we even think of making a quick  trip up there without calling them and letting them know.

Every time we go up to see our Nephrologist he has an entire panel of blood work done. These tests tell him how well Todd's kidneys are working and how well he is maintaining and looking after his diabetes.  One of these tests is to see the GFR.

 http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/what-is-gfr-and-why-is-it-so-important-in-kidney-disease-3394266.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ab_paid_12&gclid=COfUj4yBtbwCFeg-MgodVF0A9A  

you can just click on the above link, this article explains better than I ever could, what the GFR is.

You want your GFR to be about 120-125 milliliters per minute of fluid intake and output *as I understand it, this is the amount of fluid your kidneys are "cleaning" per minute.I could be wrong,, it's happened before, although I don't believe it was ever documented, so there is no proof! ;-)*

Last month Todd's GFR was at 21,, it needs to be under 20 to be considered for a transplant, so that is what we were hoping for this visit.

Be careful what you wish for!!!   13.. yep his GFR is 13.  Which put him in stage 5 kidney failure.  I don't think there is a stage 6 people!!  NO BUENO!

Dr Leon, who we absolutely love and completely trust,  explained it to me like this,,, "we wanted to do it a little slower.  Think of it as landing a plane,  you want a nice smooth, bump free landing,, instead your kidneys went 'look!! AN AIRSTRIP!' and did a complete nose dive right to the tarmac."

He sent a referal into the Kidney Transplant Team immediately, and we are expecting to hear from them in the next week. 

He talked to us last visit about the different options we have for dialysis.  There are two main types, there's  hemodialysis where you go to a dialysis center and sit for 4 hours, 2-3 days a week and get hooked up to a machine that removes all the blood from your body, cleans and purifies it, and puts it back in,, sounds pleasant doesn't it?  This can be really hard on your heart.  Here is the internets definition:

blood passes from the patient's body through a filter in the dialysis machine, called a "dialysis membrane." For this procedure, the patient has a specialized plastic tube placed between an artery and a vein in the arm or leg (called a "gortex graft"). Sometimes, a direct connection is made between an artery and a vein in the arm. This procedure is called a "Cimino fistula." Needles are then placed in the graft or fistula, and blood passes to the dialysis machine, through the filter, and back to the patient. In the dialysis machine, a solution on the other side of the filter receives the waste products from the patient.

Then there is Peritoneal dialysis.. which uses the patients own body tissues inside of the belly (abdominal cavity) to act as the filter. The intestines lie in the abdominal cavity, the space between the abdominal wall and the spine. A plastic tube called a "dialysis catheter" is placed through the abdominal wall into the abdominal cavity. A special fluid is then flushed into the abdominal cavity and washes around the intestines. The intestinal walls act as a filter between this fluid and the blood stream. By using different types of solutions, waste products and excess water can be removed from the body through this process.

This second type is done at home, after the catheter is put in and healed, you go in and they teach you how to hook up to a machine and you do this before going to bed at night.  You get to sleep through dialysis.  You do this every night.  This is the option we are doing.

Todd will get a dialysis catheter put in, we are hoping, within the next two weeks, and then after there is a good seal of scar tissue around it, about 4 weeks after the surgery, we go in and get set up with a machine, tubing, and all the equipment we need to do this at home.  Scary,,, kind of.  HOWEVER, being as our dr's are in St George, and we can't switch dr's in the middle of trying to get disability, this is an excellent option for us.  Even Dr Leon said Todd is a prime candidate for this type of dialysis.

So now we are waiting for phone calls from the Transplant team and the surgeon who will place the dialysis catheter in Todd's abdomen.

When we meet with the transplant team they will give us a list of criteria for potential matches for a kidney.  I know I plan on going and getting tested asap. (Please know, we are not asking any one to go out and be tested. I have had several people call me, or come up to me and ask what the criteria is for a match, and I just want to put it out there that I will let them know as soon as I do.)

Our boys, bless their hearts, all said they want to go get tested too. To which I looked at Jake and said, If that is what you really want  to do and the dr's say ok you are healthy enough to live with one kidney, then ok.  Todd and I both turned to Andrew and Adam and gave a stern "NO FREAKING WAY are you two getting tested!'  *these are Todd's two boys from his first marriage*, when they asked why, looking hurt and livid that I would say that, I explained that they are at such a HIGH risk of diabetes,, their father, maternal grandfather, and paternal grandparents, and uncles all have it,, they are going to need both their kidneys!!!

It seriously amazes me how Heavenly Father just gets everything to fall into place at EXACTLY the right time!!  I thought these auctions and fundraisers were not going to do much to help, make no mistake, I am beyond grateful for all the hard work, donations, time and effort that went into all the fundraising efforts!!  Words can NOT express how grateful we both are.

They ended at just the right time.  Todd was able to find health care that is $400 a month, with a $950 deductible, once that deductible is paid, everything else, including prescriptions, and transplant surgery, is covered for the rest of the year.  This health care went into affect on February 1 of this year.  So 5 days into it, and we have already paid close to $500 of the deductible.  After I pick up his insulin prescriptions today, we will be at about $7-800 paid.  Do you have any idea what a relief this is, to have that money there, knowing that is what it is for.. I don't have to worry about NV energy coming after us or threatening to shut off our power because I needed to get todd's insulin, or get his to a dr's visit?  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!   

So now we wait!

 We get up in the morning,, say our prayers, thank our Father in Heaven for another fantastically wonderful day!, we ask that our missionary is protected and doing well, We do what needs to be done through out the day, we seek out opportunities to help those less fortunate than we are, *we are so freaking blessed!*, and we give thanks at the end of our day. And do it all again tomorrow.

We have seen over and over again that our Father in Heaven is taking care of us, He's got this!!  *although He seems to leave the cleaning of the house to me!  :-( *

Thank you to everyone for all your love and support!! We will keep you posted!